WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 ❚ SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Two newcomers face off in commissioner primary Bill Poehler Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK A pair of political newcomers have a difficult task ahead. First-time candidates Ashley Carson Cottingham and Dan Norton face off in the May 19 Democratic pri- mary for a seat on the Marion County Commission. Both Norton and Carson Cottingham filed for the primary shortly before the deadline and their cam- paigns have been limited due to the COVID-19 pan- demic. And the three Marion County Commissioner posi- tions have been exclusively held by Republicans since 1976. “I was glad to see there were two people running for the Democratic party,” Norton said. The primary winner will face Republican Danielle Bethell, a Salem-Keizer school board member, in the November election. Bethell is running opposed in the Republican primary. They are all running to fill the position held by Re- publican Sam Brentano since 2003. Brentano an- nounced in October 2019 he would not seek reelection. “I think the fact that a Democrat hasn’t been on the Marion County Commission in over 40 years means it’s time to have some new ideas and new voices on the commission,” Carson Cottingham said. “I think people are ready for change. We have a much different county that we had in previous years. There are a lot of voices that aren’t heard at the leader- ship level.” The two other current Marion County Commission- ers are Republicans Kevin Cameron and Colm Willis. Their terms run through 2022. Carson Cottingham’s background is in public policy and her job experience is in directing departments as- sisting elderly and those with disabilities; Norton’s background is in science and the military. They both bring unique viewpoints through their decades of work in the public sector. Carson Cottingham’s current position as Deputy Di- rector for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for Oregon investigates complaints in assisted living and memory care facilities. “I do have a background in policy, but I have run massive government entities far larger than the coun- ty entity,” she said. “We had a $3.4 billion biennial bud- See PRIMARY, Page 2A Gates' turmoil threatens project that benefits Willamette Valley Bill Poehler Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Grey Ferrando traveled 28 hours from Stayton to Jefferson, South Dakota, to participate in one of the first races since the COVID-19 outbreak. MADELEINE COOK/STATESMAN JOURNAL Going the distance Stayton plumber takes cross-country trek for a chance to race A sewer project with wider implications Bill Poehler Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK A plumber from Stayton drove halfway across the United States during the coronavirus lockdown to compete in the only organized sporting event in the country. Grey Ferrando traveled 28 hours to race Saturday and Sunday in Jefferson, South Dakota, the first races since most states shut down all organized sporting events due to the COVID-19 outbreak. South Dakota is one of the few states that hasn't had a stay-home order in place, unlike Oregon, but the races went on despite local leaders advising them not to. Ferrando has regularly traveled long distances to race, but never under such circumstances. “It was nice to get to race,” Ferrando said. When it was announced a few weeks ago that races would take place at Park Jefferson International Speedway and neighboring The New Raceway Park in Jefferson, South Dakota with fields capped at 32 en- Drivers prepare to race at Park Jefferson Speedway on Saturday in Jefferson, South Dakota. The event is going on without fans present because of the coronavirus pandemic. ERIN BORMETT/ARGUS LEADER trants, Ferrando was one of the first to sign up. It’s a long way to go from his home outside Stayton, but towing long distances is common for him. In the past few years, Ferrando has regularly trav- eled the West Coast, raced at the IMCA Super Nation- als in Boone, Iowa, the Mark Martin Race For Hope 74 in Batesville, Arkansas and most recently in Arizona in February. See RACING, Page 4A Oregon House District 17 primary field crowded on Republican side Pete Martini Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK The Oregon House of Representative District 12 will have a new occupant in 2021, as incumbent Sherrie Sprenger is running for Linn County Commissioner. There is only one Democrat running in the May 19 primary, but six Republicans. On the Democratic side, the lone candidate is Paige Hook, a Western Oregon University graduate who currently serves on the Stayton City Council. She is passionate about rural Oregon, and she says residents in the area deserve climate legislation that is economically sustainable. She’s also an advocate for affordable housing and properly funded emergen- Hook Richards News updates: ❚ Breaking news ❚ Get updates from the Silverton area Photos: ❚ Photo galleries Sword Kirsch cy services. She has raised $4,177.20 in campaign contributions this year, and she has a cash balance of $3,671.80. The Republican side is a crowded field, with Dylan Richards, Scott Sword, Timothy L. Kirsch, Susan Coleman, Bruce Cuff and Jami Cate all running in the See STATE HOUSE, Page 3B Vol. 139, No. 20 Online at SilvertonAppeal.com A small city’s turmoil has threatened to derail an infrastructure project that has implications to cities throughout the Willamette Valley. A series of contentious city council meetings in Gates concerning the proposed North Santiam waste- water project divided a community, led to the resigna- tions of a city councilor and mayor, and might have derailed the largest infrastructure project in the San- tiam Canyon in decades. Now, as Gates seeks two new members for its six- person city council, Marion County and representa- tives of Detroit, Idanha and Mill City are left to figure out how to move forward with its landmark wastewa- ter project. It's a project that could benefit cities that get their drinking water downstream on the North Santiam River such as Salem, Albany, Stayton and Turner. “I want to go back and see what are the possibilities of continuing the progress that we’ve made and con- tinue down the road with the research we need to do, the consulting we need to do to see how much the sys- tem would have to cost,” Marion County Commission- er Kevin Cameron said. “It would have to be done anyways. Let’s just keep going.” Serving the Silverton Area Since 1880 A Unique Edition of the Statesman Journal QEAJAB-07403y ©2020 50 cents Printed on recycled paper The idea of a joint sewer system for Santiam Can- yon cities including Detroit, Mill City, Gates, Idanha and Lyons – which lie along the North Santiam River – has percolated for decades, but Marion County’s in- volvement in the past few years has put it into the realm of possibility. Detroit and Idanha have looked at building waste- water systems in the past, but it hasn’t been economi- cally feasible for one city to undertake. "My understanding and this was before I was up there, they were actually getting ready to break ground on a system," Detroit Mayor Jim Trett said. Of the involved cities, only Mill City has a sewer system, but it is nearing the end of its lifespan. In the other Santiam Canyon cities, all properties have septic systems, and many need replacement or soon will. And if the current septic systems fail, sew- age could spill into the water source for hundreds of thousands of people. Multiple studies have shown the cities in the area are limited in growth due to the lack of a sewer system. “In Gates the motel would like to expand, as well as the trailer park, but cannot because the cost of sewer and room to put it in is prohibitive,” former Gates May- or Jerry Marr said. The most recent concept for the project would have linked Detroit and Idanha in one system and Mill City and Gates in another. Estimates on cost are in the $90 million range, but no official number has been determined. “It’s a lot more expensive than a normal one would be,” Marion County Economic Development Danielle Gonzalez said. “Because of the complexity of the geol- ogy and the complexity of the four cities, we were go- ing to move forward with the money we had in our budget to get the design and engineering.” Marion County and Business Oregon each already spent more than $100,000 and countless hours on the project. Though residents in the sewer district would have to pay for the system, they wouldn’t have to shoulder all costs. “We’re going to have to Frankenstein funds togeth- er,” Gonzalez said. “It’s going to be clean water funds, it’s going to be development funds. It’s going to be a complex grant writing process.” The North Santiam Joint Wastewater Project task force was formed with members of the city councils of Detroit, Idanha, Mill City and Gates, but reached the stage where it needed the involved cities to sign an intergovernmental agreement that would create a government independent of the cities. Marion County was slated to release another $400,000 for an engineering study and design of the project when the agreement was signed, which Mill City, Detroit and Idanha did in the past few months. All they needed was Gates. See GATES, Page 2A